


It's always bluer...

by AnAngryRat



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, Fantasy, Fluff, M/M, Merman Lance, Mpreg
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-27
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2018-11-19 19:08:13
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 14,514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11319765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnAngryRat/pseuds/AnAngryRat
Summary: Lance needs escape, Shiro needs a purpose. When Lance makes Shiro an offer they find they might get a little of both.





	1. Let's Get Shit Set Up

**Author's Note:**

> Based on the shance fluff week poll on my other fic Vingettes .

There’s a man. He sits alone on the beach with nothing but a dog and a tablet. He watches the waves studies the tide pools, and smiles at tired mothers making them flush. He’s sees the man read at the beach but never relax lounging. His back is always next to the tide pool rocks and unless he is leaving the beach or playing fetch with his dog he is always at the tidepools. A child or teen will walk up and they will chat. The man is usually pleasant enough, a smile making a girl blush and hide, or a boy lean in ready to hear more. Then something loud happens and he hunches in on himself. His dog is at his side immediately. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one. The man’s shoulders relax and he kisses his dogs head and leaves shortly after.

He’s handsome. Classically so. He stands tall amongst a crowd and comes to the beach three times a week like clockwork. Sun up to sun down. When he reaches the end of his day he stares at the ocean for a near hour a sense of longing on his face. The sky darkening and shadowing his face in fantastic and new ways. Lance never wants him to come closer.

 

“Hello.”

Shiro doesn’t look away from his book. It’s late in the day. It might be another college kid wanting to go club later. He’s not in the mood. Pidge would say he’s never going to be in the mood. He could say the same about them.

A splash of cold water jerks him out of his book.

“Look you little—”

Bright blue eyes and a blue freckled face stares back at him. Sven is licking the boys face and holy shit the boy has a tail.

“Mermaid.” Shiro finishes.

“Merman.” The kid corrects. He gently pushes the dogs face away eyes widening when his fingers touch Sven’s fur. He scratches his hands through it, looking up at Shiro with a excited smile. “This feels like the softest sea moss.” He runs his hands down Sven’s spine.

“Is it supposed to be so skinny?” He asks. Sven has taken to licking his hair making it spike in tiny cowlicks.

“Yeah. Greyhounds are meant for speed.”

The merman smiles. “So am I, doggy.”

“You’re a mermaid.”

The mermaid’s brow sharpens and he looks pained. “Merman, please.”

Shiro flinches. “Sorry, it’s a movie. And it’s the first thing that comes to mind when confronted with half-fish half-human beings.”

The merman’s studies him for a moment. “I have no idea what half of that means.”

Shiro looks around and see’s that the beach is empty. “Is this a dream?”

“No.” The merman says. Sven butts his head against him. “I very much like your dog.”

“Thanks.” Shiro pulls out his phone and takes a picture sending it to Keith.

_He exists right?_

“What’s your name?” the merman asks butting his own head against Svens.

“Shiro.”

 _Shiro, you wake me up from my post work app to send me a picture of a twink._ The middle finger emoji follows it. Shiro tucks his phone away. Mermaids…exist now.

“Shiro...That’s a weird name.”

“It’s short for Shirogane. My full name is Takashi Shirogane.”

The merman blinks at him. “Huh. My name’s Lance. I’m going to court you.”

Shiro snorts. “Sure.”

Lance finally lets go of Sven lingering for a second before shifting over to pull himself almost completely onto the rock. “This will be much easier if you explain human courting to me. Cause when a sea creature says that to another there usually is a lot of fucking and impregnation that happens afterwards depending on whether they are accepted or not. If not they just try to kill to provide. I don’t think you want me throwing dead sea life at you despite,” he gently boops Shiro on the nose, “My excellent hunting skills.”

Shiro is bright red by the end of this. “Well, I…” Lance looks distraught and Shiro finds he can’t reject him. “We, humans, take it slower. Find a pace that works and go for that.”

“Ah…So, no fucking.”

Shiro sucks in his lips and tries to force his blush to go away. He’s staring directly at Lance’s long tan form. He’s pretty. Stupidly pretty. Except for the blue tail. Which is also pretty but not in a… “Not today. I’m not really into… fish.”

“Later then?” Lance sets himself down on the rock crossing his arms and resting his chin on them.

“Not in the near future.”

Lance nods his head. “I can work with that.”

Shiro looks around and once again it’s just him and Sven. “Aren’t you worried about getting caught?”

“No. I’ve planned this for months. You aren’t taking that away from me Shiro the warrior.”

Shiro immediately feels his metallic arm clench and dig into the rock bed. “You’ve been watching me.”

Lance looks up at him under his eye lashes. Shiro suspects that he often plays dumb. “You’ve been watching me too.”

Shiro doesn’t know what to say to that. He stares off into the ocean, wishing for… There’s a soft cool hand on his leg.

“Can you explain the mermaid movie to me?”

Shiro looks down at him. “A mermaid falls in love with a human and decides to become human. She can’t tell him that she loves him because a sea which stole his voice. In the movie they get together and it’s all happy… In the book she turns to sea foam because he falls in love with another.”

“Tough luck for me, huh?” Lance says with a smirk. Shiro laughs, genuinely.

“I wouldn’t know. You’re a complete stranger.”

Lance walks his fingers up Shiro’s leg. “Not for lon—“ Lance looks up and Shiro follows his gaze. A small sedan pulled up right to the edge and a group of teens got out.

Shiro looked down and Lance was gone.

 

 

Shiro possibly doesn’t sleep for a week. He instead stares at the photo of a doe eyed Lance smiling with his forehead pressed against Svens. Out of context it looks like the picture of a lover. Shiro instead crops it to stare at the scales covering the boy’s cheek and his webbed fingers cradling Sven’s angular head.

He goes out every day, waiting.

Shiro feels a coolness along his back. He turns away from his sci-fi novel and flinches. He's weightless Lances scared expression imprinting behind his eyelids before he hits the water. The freezing water enclosed him comforting and wonderful. Shiro closed his eyes. The waves tugged and pulled him and his lungs slowly started to burn. He didn't move. In his darkest moments he never moved after this. There was a tightening in his throat and fire traveling up from his chest. He didn't want it to end. He gasped water filling his lungs.

Cool strong arms wrapped around him. He was tugged up and he felt a change in pressure.  Oh god. A punch in the chest and a press of lips and he was vomiting. Like Magic he could suddenly hear again.

"Don't do that. You're not allowed to do that."

Lance.

"Poseidon's taint! You scared the shit out of me! You can't do that. I know you want to. I've seen that longing but you can't."

Shiro shakily pulled himself up onto his elbows just in time for him to catch Lance jumping into the ocean and the muffled sound of screaming following his descent. Shiro fell onto his back and took stock of his surroundings.

He was on the small sandy start of a underwater cave. He looked up and there was sky at least a hundred feet up. He put together where along the cliff side they must be. He looked to his left and saw the small opening children sometimes crawled through to get to the sea cave.

He slowly pulled himself up and found a sizable rock to cover the entrance placing it so. he looked out to the ocean and Sven looked back slowly paddling his way over.

Shiro pushed his hair back. Lance splashed back out and covered Shiro in water.

"You stupid idiot!" He screeched clawing his way towards Shiro. "Even babies know that when you go underwater you swim towards air you, fucking cucumber fucker." Shiro pulled him gently up into sitting position and leaned him against a wall. Lance crossed his arms. Shiro sits next to him catching his breath.

"I'm not gonna forgive you because you're being nice."

Shiro lolled his head to look at Lance. His eyes traveled from his hazel hair and warm toned skin and bright blue colored tail. Little black tips on the edges of the fins. Mermaids exist and Lance is beautiful. Even with his brow drawn in, lips pursed and eyes dark in anger and concern.

"Forgive me for what?" Shiro asks. He's in a daze. Eyes blurring at the images. Sven pads up and collapses on Shiro's leg exhausted from his swim.

Lance glances over him his eyes tracing Shiro's outline like he's looking for injuries. He perks up when he sees Sven and begins to pat his head. "Next time you're in the ocean swim, please."

Shiro nods. "Fair enough."

They sit in silence and Shiro becomes intimately aware that Lance had leaned on him putting his head on Shiro's shoulder to pet Sven.

"You want to court me."

"Yes," the word is murmured into Shiro's shoulder, the mermans breath surprisingly warm.

"How can you do that if I can't breath underwater and you can't walk on land?"

"Oh, Shiro, you say that like I don't have a plan. I just wanted to see if you liked me first. Give me a chance, before I do anything drastic."

"You're not gonna turn to sea foam are you?" Shiro takes the other mans hand without thinking and Lances palm relaxes for Shiro to mold it for his needs.

"The sea witch is my sister and I plan on giving her the matriarchy in return for legs." Lances breath is warm against his neck.

"Matriarch?"

"My mother is queen and I'm next in line due to being the strongest warrior." Shiro grunts. Lance places his lips on Shiro's neck and whispers the next part into his skin, like a secret he's never wanted to tell. "I enjoy my gender and I don't want to be a leader. Breedings fine, gender exchange not worth the Matriarchy. Let my sister have it. She's always wanted it."

Shiro rest his head atop of Lance's. "I'm a tool so you can run away, aren't I?"

"That and more. You're a warrior, and I see in you the worst parts of me and I love it."  Lance rolls over him his tail between Shiro's legs and head resting on his chest.

Shiro takes his chin and leans him in for a kiss. "I can be your tool. It's been awhile since I've had a purpose." Shiro's hand drags along his jaw and towards his neck.

Lance looks up at him sadly. "Exposition deposit aside I wish you held yourself in a better light."

Shiro laughed and Lance kissed his forehead. "Next time I see you it'll be on two feet."

 

Lance stares at the small sea cave for a long time. He's on the precipice of his goal and he feels...dirty. He knew it was an ugly way of going about things. No love at first sight. No need to explore. Just escape and selfishness. He was using a man to get to his own goals and it felt, disgusting. Shiro might have agreed but he was tying himself to Lance forever. That's not a decision he should have forced on another creature. Lance paces back and forth. He barely even notices he's getting closer until pastel nails grab his arm dragging him in.

"What are you doing here Lance?" Allura hisses. Her brown hair moving to cover her face.

Lance uses the hand not in her grasp to push her hair away revealing bright real eyes. "I'm here to make an offer you can't refuse."

Allura stood up straight her bright pink tail tucking under her. She was not pleased. "Lance..."

"I've...found a mate. He's a warrior like myself and--"

"And?"

"Human."

The tide changes going ice cold. Lance feels the pull of Alluras power.

"You're not suggesting what I'm thinking you're suggesting."

"It would give you what you rightfully deserve."

Allura shakes her head the very water shaking around them. "I don't know what you're implying but you can't leave us!! We'll crash and burn. The selkie are going to use this--"

Lance places a hand on her shoulder. "Sister. You are going to be my chosen replacement."

"You're out of your fucking mind."

Lance cups her face. "I've never been more sure in my entire life." They both knew he was lying. "You'll never be able to talk me out of it." This, he knew, she would believe.

She sighs. "The matriarch unfortunately won't be enough."

Lance closes his eyes and breathes. "What else would you need?"

Allura looks around her hair cloaking the area only flecks of her pink tale hinting at movements. Lance could barely hear her mumbling to herself.

"Your days," she shouts her face poking out from her hair startling Lance a yelp erupting from his lungs.

"I would need your days..." she mutters some more her falling back into the hideout of her hair.

"Do you want your normal genitalia?" She calls. There's a crash from one of her vials.

"Yes." Lance absently cups his crotch.

"Excellent! You give me the placenta of your first child and I can make it work so you can turn merman when you touch the sea instead of giving me your days. Of course, I can't have your days during gestation, the placenta should be enough. So much power in that."

Lance rubs his flat abs and realizes he will have to give birth at some point in time. He shakes it off. Cross that bridge when he gets to it.

Allura pokes her head out again seemingly reluctantly and her hair magically braids itself and pulls into a bun.

She hands him a vial. "Drink that at dusk and you'll have legs. Makes sure you're at the water’s edge at dawn because if that doesn't happened..." she swallows covering his hand with her own. "you're dead."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

Silence.

"I give l my honor of the matriarch to you." Lance rushes out the words and droops under the relief of the power exchange.

Lances eyes dulls and Alluras hair turns a startling white. Lance chuckles.

"No," Allura whispers.

"Much more suited for it than I." Lance says placing a white strand behind her pointed ears. The greater the change the stronger the magic.

"You know that's not true."

Lance smiles weakly. Matriarchy works better with less change rumors say. Lance thinks it’s bullshit "It'll be great. you were born a leader. I, the seventh child? Not so much."

"Run before she finds you. She must know by now."

Lance nodded and swam away rocketing through the water. Fastest, strongest, smarter. Lance pushed those thoughts back as he came to the sea cave.

Allura was smarter. She had plans and made practical decision in heated moments. Lance absently touches the divot in his arm when he ran towards danger instead of thinking through. He was a spear but not a weapon. He stopped partially up on the sandy shore. Laying on his back he could feel the waves gently lapping at his fin. He looked at the potion. It was the same color as his eyes when he was the matriarch in waiting. Fascinating. He could have sworn it was the color of Allura’s hair when she handed it to him.

Magic and all that shit he supposes.


	2. It's Magic Shiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pizza and a kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the wait. Probably gonna be awhile for the next one.

Shiro enters the cave just past dusk. It’s pitch black and he pulls out his phone light. The water ripples shining eerily. A near black mop of hair appears first then Lance is slowly walking out pushing his hair back and giving Shiro a shy smile.

Shiro's eyes travel along his body catching sight of his long legs and toned abs. "Nice."

"Not really permanent." Lance says with a shrug. He runs his hands along his body and Shiro can't help to follow them hungrily.

"What do you mean?" He asks brain sprinting to catch up to the words that the other man said.

"I need to be in the sea by day light or I die." Lance shrugs like this isn't really a problem. Shiro's eyes widen.

"What happened to the sea witch giving you a favor?"

"I asked a lot."

Shiro frowns. "That's not an answer."

Lance throws his head back and laughs. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." He looks at his surroundings and touches the top of the cave. "For now let’s go on a...a date, you call it?"

Shiro pulls off his shirt. "First you need some clothes he says offering it up. Lance takes it and rubs the fabric between his fingers.

"Things feel different dry." He pulls on the shirt and it barely covers the necessities.

"Softer?" Shiro asks leading the way out of the cave.

"Different."

Shiro helps Lance step out catching an eye full of his crotch when Lance takes an uncaring step up. He decides not to comment and then remembering basic human decency flushes.

"Really need to get you pants." He mumbles.

Lance stands up and smirks. "Could just give me yours. After a favor of course."

Shiro rolls his eyes and leads Lance to his car. He opens the door and gently guides Lance in. He rounds to the back to grab his spare pair of board shorts and tank top before getting in the drivers seat and handing the shorts to Lance.

Shiro puts on his shirt while Lance looks over the shorts like a puzzle piece.

"Need help?"

Lance blushes and attempts to slide the shorts on inside out. "No!"

Lance struggles for a few moments before Shiro sighs and moves to the other side of the car.

"You knew how to put a shirt on."  He says sliding the fabric over Lance’s new legs.

"It's easy to do something you've seen people do multiple times. You don't tend to pay attention when you don't have that anatomy."

Shiro finishes pulling up the pants and only now realize how intimate he is with Lances groin. He stands up hitting his head on the roof of the car. "Fair enough."

Shiro starts the car. Lance jumps and grips his hand rest.

Shiro backs out and turns to him at a stop sign. "You okay?"

"It smells weird and we are moving in a pile of metal that makes a loud noise." A beat while Shiro moves through the intersection. "No! I'm not okay!"

Shiro pulls over. Lance shakily unbuckles his seatbelt and climbs under the dash curled in an impossibly small ball.

"Lance?"

"I've made a major mistake in my life. Give me a moment."

Shiro chest aches suddenly. Lance lost all his prideful facade and Shiro can see how young he is and...

"Is this about the legs? Cause my bet is on the legs."

Lance snorts. Shiro gets a glimpse of baby blue eyes. "You would think, but turning to sea foam isn't that worrisome."

Shiro whistles. "I couldn't do that."

"It's more I abandoned the Matriarch to attempt to marry a stranger who doesn't like me."

Shiro reaches out and rubs his back. "I like you. I was just driving a couple of blocks to my house so we can watch The Little Mermaid together."

"I don't understand much of that," Lance says sticking his head out and setting his chin on the seat. "But I'm excited to find out."

 

Shiro’s house is odd. It’s all geometric and very man made. Lance had seen houses before but to be up close and personal the manufactured feeling of it doesn’t really compare to the magic of the sea caves and all the nature that went into them. Lance slowly steps out of the car on wobbly legs, the car ride still riling him up and hisses at the roughness of the ground. “What’s the ground called?” Lance asks still sliding out of the car ignoring Shiro’s eyes on him.

“Uh…concrete?”

“Man made?”

“Yeah.”

“You’re so innovated.” Lance stands up and looks for an opening. There’s clearly a part of the front that doesn’t look like the rest but it’s not open. His eyes land on a small square with a plate of glass covering the top but underneath is open…odd because humans walk on two legs but…

Lance walks up to it following the landing and begins to slowly pull himself through.

“Ohmygod.” Shiro’s arms wrap around his center and tug him out.

“What?” Lance says extending his legs out once his head has cleared the window. It’s gratifying feeling Shiro hold all his weight so easily. “It was an opening.”

Shiro shifts him so he’s hanging from the man’s shoulder. “Ohmygod,” he sighs. Lance lightly gropes his ass feeling his shoulders stiffen.

“We, humans, go through a door and it is usually closed.” Shiro explains carrying him through the entryway. Lance giggles as he’s set down.

“That’s so weird...” the laughter is gone as he looks around him. “You have so much stuff.” There’s humanoid figures and books and mirrors and plastic boxes, and more things with symbols and words and _different_ mini humans and caricatures of animals. Lance walks up to a shelf with the most non-book stuff.

“Are you witches? Cause only witches have this much stuff.”

Shiro’s eyebrows raise nearly to his hair line and his eyes glaze over. “Uh…um…No we aren’t witches.” He looks around and Lance shadows him following his eyes. “They’re collectibles and memorabilia?”

Lance picks up one of the softer plush ones rubbing the humanoids soft body between his fingers. “Useless.” He mutters head snapping back up. “This is fascinating. Show me more.”

Shiro laughs and slowly leads him to a chair. “How about we eat dinner then watch The Little Mermaid?”

Lance sits down and watches Shiro pull something out of a large cooled crate and shove it into a different heated crate. “What kind of food?”

“Pizza.”

Lance tilts his head and pretends he knows what that means not really having names for what he’s seen people eat. Shiro sits across from him a drink in his hand. The amber bottle glistens with moisture. Lance touches it. Shiro offers the bottle up but one sniff of the liquor and half of Lances nose hairs gone he shakes his head. Silence falls and Lance finds himself focusing in on the heated crate.

“What do you do for fun?” Shiro asks breaking him out of his reprieve as he tries to figure out what that thing does.

“I hunt.” Lance says leaning back in his chair. “I am the best.” He points to a long thick scar along his arm. “Got this from a tiger shark we were getting for an annual feast.” Another this time across his cheek. “Tuna…” He smiles. “For fun.”

“Neat.” Shiro says. He looks uncomfortable. Lance isn’t sure what to do. “Is that it?”

Lance brows knit together. “What else is there to do? Occasionally I play with the guppies training them to hunt and hide and how to find the best crafting tools but other than that it’s hunting and fighting other clans.”

Shiro takes a sip from his drink. “Sounds rough. We have games and books and mindless forms of entertainment.”

Lance wiggles excited. “Show me!”

Shiro starts to get up but the heated crate chimes.

“Maybe after the movie,” He says putting on gloves and pulling out the food…cooked.

He puts it on to two plates and then hands one to Lance. Lance watches carefully how he picks up the food and blows then eats.

Lance picks it up flinches at the heat and blows on it cautiously before placing it on his tongue…His mind is blown. He can’t even describe it. He’s finished with his piece not even paying attention to how his mouth is scalded, begging for more.

“This is better than sex,” he says around his second piece.

Shiro laughs watching him with a soft look. “You would be surprised how many humans agree with you on that.”

Shiro pulled out his phone and Lance scooted closer to watch his fingers move across the surface pulling images and words together and apart with a tap. “And they say humans aren’t magic. That’s magic if I ever saw it.” Lance huffed.

Shiro snorted. “Later I’m going to introduce you to Pidge and they’ll tell you how wrong you are.”

Lance rolled his eyes and Shiro held out the phone in his direction slowly swiping through images praising the miracle of pizza.

Lance swallowed. “Magic.”

Shiro sighed. “It’s really not.”

Lance took another bite of pizza and decided to hold that debate until later. Shiro seemed to read it in his posture because he sighed again.

“Let’s just watch the movie,” he said standing up and moving towards the entertainment system. Lance grabbed his plate protectively and followed behind Sven who decided to join them.

 

Lance loves The Little Mermaid. Shiro watched in awe as his face became enraptured in the first few minutes of film. “It’s not real.” A smile. “Amazing.” It was like seeing a man walk out of the cave for the first time. After the pure wonder wore off around the 45 minute mark he began picking apart all of the inaccuracies of the mermaid world, but...Shiro leans over his knees and listens to him sing "Kiss the Girl" for the hundredth time since the movie ended. He begged to rewatch it and so they did. Shiro slept through the third and fourth rewatch.

Lance kitten licks his ice cream, he declares strawberry his favorite. "This world much more interesting than my own. All hunt and survival. You guys have sugar. It is the best." Shiro nods watching his tongue peak out and lick a long stripe from his elbow to the tip of the cone. "I'm honestly surprised you don't worship it." He adds.

"It's not very healthy." Shiro explains.

A shrug. "I'm gonna die in three minutes I don't think health has much of a weight here."

Shiro swallows. It's unsettling how blasé the man is about it. "Well if you're going to be going into the ocean soon, at least give me my clothes so they don't get wet."

Lance glares at him then deep throats the ice cream and cone and begins stripping. Shiro pulls his legs closer to his chest and hope to God that Lance can't see his erection.

Fully naked and clothes thrown about Lance opens his arms brazen. "There. Happy?" It's muffles over the remains of his ice cream.

Shiro smiles just to upset him. "Very. Thank you."

Lance saunters up to him and Shiro watches the sway of his hips. "Kiss goodbye?"

Shiro ducks his head and chuckles. "Sure."

When he looks up he isn't prepared for the lips on his or the sweet strawberry after taste they leave as Lance breaks away.

Lance smiles cupping his face. "Thanks."

He turns around. Shiro gets a generous view of his ass. He slowly walks in his skin breaking out in goose bumps and a shiver rippling along his shoulders.

Lance is waist deep in water when it happens. A large wave rolls in and just as it breaks against him he's the drops of water in the splash the foam at the seas edge. Gone.


	3. Going Rock

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Didn't do any research. Much apologies.

It’s odd. Lance is aware of the waves around his hips then he’s not. Then he’s aware he’s underwater and needs air. He breaks the surface gasping. His head whips around and he slowly lowers his legs to the soft sand. He walks out eyes slowly adjusting to the darkness. A cool breeze brushes his skin and he shivers the edges of the cave slowly coming into focus. Lance almost thinks no time has passed. Shiro is sitting in the same spot and so are his clothes… except they are wet and covered in sand, left so the tide could lap against them. Lance sidesteps them and continues on. He kneels next to Shiro wondering if he died and now Lance was stuck losing his days until he ages and dies also.

“Shiro?” Lance whispers slowly reaching out to cup his face.

Shiro jerks back and blinks. “Oh. Right. That’s how this works.”

“What?” Lance is scared he can’t tell why but the animal instincts him tell him to run.

Shiro reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone. “Fuck.”

He stands up and Lance falls over on to his ass. “Shiro?”

Shiro rubs his chin then flinches as if realizing he has a scruff. Lance stands up as cautiously as he can. “What’s going on?” He asks hoping to ground the man.

Finally, Shiro actually looks at him and Lance sees the gentleness that normally defines him. Lance lets out a breath of relief.

“Do you think you could pretend to be human and meet my brother?” Shiro asks.

Lance looks around the cave then at his naked body. “What.”

Shiro rubs his face. “I should have broght Sven with me.” He mutters. “That hasn’t happened since…” his eyes glaze over then he shakes himself out of it. He rounds back to Lance.

“You need clothes.”

“Yes.”

Shiro pulls off his shirt and hands it to Lance. Lane tongues at the blisters in his mouth assuring himself that, yes, yesterday did happen, Shiro’s just having a breakdown.

“Maybe, we shouldn’t go see your brother,” Lance suggests tugging on the shirt. Shiro is focused completely on his phone fingers tapping at the speed of light.

“Too late. He’s at the beach looking for me.” Shiro says smacking his forehead with the phone now.

Lance bounces on his toes nervous. “I need pants.”

Shiro’s head pops up like an eel exiting its cave. “I have an idea.”

 

Keith looks pissed. Shiro thinks he should have told Lance to hold back on the hickeys. Shiro covers most of his chest with Lance’s sandy clothes and thanks the heavens he wore black boxer briefs instead of his patterned ones.

“Hi, how was your day?” Shiro asks scratching the back of his neck. Keith’s glare darkens.

“Shitty.” Keith barks. “Yours?”

Shiro’s at a loss for words. Lance leans on his back hooking his chin over Shiro’s shoulder.

“Can’t remember it,” Lance says. Shiro has a feeling that’s a truth.

“I’m sure.” Shiro can hear Keith’s teeth grinding. He spins on his heel. “Let’s go get some dinner and have a discussion on communication, Shiro.”

Lance shrugs and follows Keith. Keith spins again pointing a finger nearly up his nose. “Not you.”

Shiro sees a flash of anger cross Lances face. He gently pushes the other man behind him. “I’m his ride. We can’t exactly leave him.”

“Find him another ride!” Keith explodes. “Fucking Christ Shiro,” Keith runs a hand through his hair. “You’re not allowed to do this again. I thought you went cationic. Fuck.” Keith kicked sand and began walking to his car. “Show up at the house in thirty minutes sans twink, Shiro.”

Shiro bites his lip. “I can do that.”

Keith doesn’t even pause to acknowledge he heard him just heads to the car. Shiro hears the car door slam and looks back to Lance.

“That could have gone better.” Lance says.

“Yeah,” Shiro pulls out his phone. “You’re gonna have to spend the night with Hunk.”

“I have to be in the ocean at dawn Shiro.”

“He can get you here,” Shiro puts the phone to his ear.

“Shiro, where the fuck were you? Keith has been freaking out all day.” Hunk greets.

“I was at the beach having rough sex with my…” Shiro squints at Lance. “Mermaid boyfriend.”

“Hardy-har-har-har.” The sarcasm drips like honey. “But seriously, fix this. He’s been bending all my silverware again. I love him but unbending all my forks is not how I want to spend our time together.”

Shiro pinches his nose and looks at Lance. Lance isn’t looking at him. Great. He’s made him angry too. Shiro can’t fuck up once with out everyone hounding him. Shiro clenches and unclenches his hands. Breathe in, one, two, three, breathe out. Focus.

“Sorry, Hunk. It’s bad. I’ll do my best but I need a favor.”

Hunks tone changes immediately. “Of course, What do you need?”

“Lance needs a place to stay tonight until I can come drive him home. Do you think you can come pick him up?”

“Yeah, the beach right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be there in ten. And Shiro?”

“Yeah?”

“I hope you’re okay.”

“Me too.”

Shiro hangs up. Breathe in. one two three, breathe out. He crouches by Lance placing his hands on his shoulders.

“I have a friend who’ll keep you company, while I smooth things over with my brother.”

Lance nods. “See you later.”

Shiro kisses his forehead. “Swear I’ll get you back here before dawn.”

Lance combs a hand through his fringe and gives him a strained smile. “I believe you.”

Shiro nods and stands up to go.

“Oh!” He holds out his phone to Lance with a picture of Hunk. “This is who will be picking you up. I hope you like him.”

Lance squints at the screen then nods. Shiro puts his phone away and cups his face for a chaste kiss before leaving to deal with Keith.

 

Lance huffed staring out into the sea. He knew he shouldn’t be mad. Family issues are something he should know very well. He shudders and waits. Alone. In a world he can’t function in because he doesn’t have any of the necessary resources to do so. Shiro might seem comfortable leaving him on his own but for fucks sake he doesn’t own money or an ID that he’s seen in the wallet.

A wallet. Cause there are hundreds and thousands of those things…how did humans make and hoard so much stuff. They can make hard ground and paintings move and billions of useless toys. Poseidon.

“Uh…” a husky voice breaking him out of his reverie. He looks up at the large man recognizing him from Shiro’s picture. “Are you…uh…” his face flushes and he covers it with a giant hand. “Sorry, Shiro didn’t give me your name.”

Of course he didn’t because Lance has an ID and money. “Lance.”

“Lance,” the man repeats with a smile. It’s warm and kind and Lance finds himself smiling back automatically.

“Hi! I’m Hunk.”

“Cause you’re hunky.” Lance says with a wink standing up.

“Ohmygod. No wonder he calls you a twink.”

Lance frowns crossing his arms. “I don’t like that word.”

“Fair enough.” Hunk says with a shrug and slings a comfortable arm over his shoulder. “Com’mon let’s go get some eats then play some games.”

Lance leans into the warmth. “I like these plans.”

 

Shiro walks in and Keith is face down with a bottle of tequila sitting next to him.

“Keith,” he whins gently pushing Sven away after getting his greeting pat in. “I can deal with angry Keith but not angry and drunk Keith.”

“Don’t start with me  Shiro.” Keith slurs. “It’s been a shitty day.” Keith sits up and brushes a hand through his hair.

Shiro slides into the chair on the opposite side of the counter. Keith  goes through several emotions while he debates what to say. Shiro watches patiently.

Keith looks him in the eye. “I had started off today to planning tell you I was going to move in with Hunk.”

Shiro doesn’t say anything but he can already see where this is going. Sven trots over and places his head in Shiro’s lap. Shiro pets him and begins timing his breath with the motion of his hands.

“Then,” Keith says breaking him out of his reverie, “I come home and you’re not here and you aren’t answering your phone and…” Keith bites his lip. “You left with out Sven and you,” Keith rubs his face and looks at Shiro. “How long has your location services been turned off?”

Shiro opens his mouth. “I didn’t think were necessary. I’m sorry I was just caught up in…”

Keiths expression darkens and Shiro stops waiting for him. He closes his eyes brow scrunching together. “I would believe this little story you’re trying to tell me if it hadn’t been all day. Shiro I know the signs of when you derail and you did it right here.”

Shiro grips the table. “Maybe I saw something a bit unsettling and I got…” Shiro tries to recount the hours. He can’t. It was something that hadn’t happened since the last time he indulged Pidge and they tried to find Matt.

Keith looks so distraught at his admission that Shiro almost wants to go back to pretending everything is fine and he and Lance had been fucking and he hadn’t just seen a grown man disappear in the light of dawn and then walk out of the water as if nothing had happened what seemed like moments later. He almost wished it was…He shakes the thought and looks down at Sven. Sven looks at him like he’s god.

“’Kay. Was twink at least there for you?” Keith asks.

“Yes.” Shiro says quickly. He knows better than to lie.

Keith nods. “Good.” He sits back and they revel in silence. Keith stands up and opens the fridgerator and pulls out basic pasta.

Shiro waits until he’s mixing it all together before he voices his thought. “You can still move out.”

Keith tenses. “I’m not sure I want to.” He mutters and almost throws Shiro’s bowl at him, “I’m going to bed.”

Shiro watches him stomp out. Sven nuzzles into his leg when he stares too long at the empty hallway. Shiro smiles and feeds him a noodle.

“At least _you’ll_ never judge me.”  


Lance loved Hunk. He almost wishes he saw him before Shiro. Hunk smiles brightly explaining how led lights work and what a touch screen is. As if that’ll convince Lance that it’s not magic. Allura tried the same thing when they were just guppies. _Lance it’s an equivalent exchange of power. Lance stop braiding my hair. You can tell the weighted difference by how the current moves when the power is introduced and…you’re not paying attention._

“Wow. Not into mechanics much are you?” Hunk asks friendly.

“No. Magic is more my style.” Lance says waving a hand a bout. Hunk laughs at that his hearty boom broken by a yawn.

“Jesus,” he mutters looking at the clock on the wall. Lance doesn’t quite understand how the numbers work but he can tell that the lower the number the earlier it is.

“I gotta crash.” He says. He hands the unlocked phone to Lance.

“Here call Shiro to pick you up,” he says standing up. “I’m gonna go get ready for bed.”

Lance nods and stares at the grinning picture of Shiro on the phone. He hesitates before double tapping the icon and calling him.

“Fuck, Hunk, I’m sorry, I’ll come over right over.” Shiro says followed by the sound of rustling.

“There’s still four more hours before sunrise Shiro, if you want me to wait,” Lance answers back.

There’s a long pause and then, “No, I want to see you. And, and…”

“Apologize?” Lance huffs. “No need, I get family problems.”

Shiro laughs lightly. “I can guess.”

“Hey, not everyone gets just a mad relative when they go rock.”

Shiro goes silent and even the rustling stops. “You recognize…”

Lance shrugs spinning around in his chair. “It happens to a lot of warriors. I’m shark so not so much for me.”

“Oh.”

“Shit happens, according to Hunk.”

“Wise man.” The rustling picks up.

“Handsome too. Feel like I made the wrong choice.”

Shiro laughs and there’s a sharp bang. “You’d have to fight Keith for him I’m afraid.”

“Damn. Guess I’ll just stick with you then. Poor me.”

There’s a smile in his voice when he speaks next. “Poor you. See you in a bit.”

“Bye, Shiro.”

 

Lance is delighted to see Sven and they spend several hours just at the beach playing catch and Shiro explaining the world. Lance always tries to explain his world but with no point of reference Shiro is always left lost.

Lance lifts up his shirt pointing to a scar that bisects his center. “Was a selkie named Lotor. Only enemy I’ve ever left alive. He’s missing an eye though.” Lance smiles smugly.

Shiro points to on across his left arm. “A spooked newbie fired a rifle at a spider caught a ricochet.”

Lance hisses and pulls off his shirt to show the one across his back. “This is the one they had to take me to Allura for.”

Shiro grimaces. He holds up his metal arm wiggling his fingers.

Lance rolls his eyes. “I will never win the scar game if you continue show casing your missing limbs.”

Shiro snorts flexing the robotic fingers. He barely notices Lance slipping into his lap. Shiro smirks. “You’ve got twelve minutes to sunrise. I don’t think we’ll get very far.”

Lance shrugs and Shiro touches the expanse of bare skin with a heat growing in his belly. Lance leans in for a kiss and Shiro takes readily biting into his advance. Sven snuffles his way in-between.

Shiro breaks the kiss to chuckle at the display. Lance grabs Shiro’s head and forces him to look him in the eye. “Someday I will have you on your back so fucked out you won’t even remember you don’t have a right arm.”

Shiro’s face heats and excitement builds, “Is that a bet?”

Lance bites at his lip. “It’s a promise.”

Shiro is leaning in for another kiss but Lance is standing and pulling off his pants making it a show just like the night before. Except this time he has Shiro’s rapt attention. They didn’t even spend nearly as much time together as the night before but Shiro feels the hazy wave of want rush over him.

“Fuck,” he breathes.

Lance winks and walks in the ocean and Shiro sees him dive under then slowly swim into the ocean then between one wave and the next he’s gone.

Sven snuffles in his lap. Shiro gently pats his head.

“Yeah.”


	4. Getting To Know You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting to know you. Getting to know all about you...r dick.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These are gonna be coming out slower than anticipated. I haven't ditched it promise. Work's just banana's.

Lance walks out of the ocean and this time is greeted with Shiro holding clothes to his chest and looking clean shaven. Lance jogs up happily to greet him.

“Have a good day?” Lance asks grabbing the clothes. He spots a pair of boxers and hands them back to Shiro with a wink.

Shiro stares at him while Lance calm as you pleased gets dressed. Lance coughs expectantly when he was done.

Shiro shudders visibly. “I slept through most of it.”

Lance shrugs. “Still more interesting than my day.”

They began their trek to the car. “About that—”

“There’s nothing.” Lance answers. “It’s what I imagine being dead feels like.”

Shiro nods and they left it at that.

 

Hot tongue laves him up and down. Shiro gasps and places his hands in Lance’s hair only to have his arms pushed away as Lance hurriedly pulled off his clothes.

“There’s no need to rush,” Shiro gasps again as Lance straddles him. He can’t even remember how they got in through the door. Is the door even closed? Shiro looks around Lance to check relaxing when he saw it was closed. The relief lasts a small second when he felt the slick warm familiar heat of a cunt grind into him. Shiro’s back bows. “ _Lance._ ”

“Shhh…” Lance says and moments later he was sliding himself down on Shiro’s cock.

“Wait,” Shiro says thinking about the condoms in his back pocket. Lance pauses.

“No, go?” He says utterly still. Shiro takes the moment to take stock. He is shirtless. How did Lance even get his shirt off? They were in the entrance hallway and apparently this is where they were going to stay for the time being.

“No,” Shiro says gripping his hips to stop Lance’s movements. “We should wear protection.”

Lance looks at him confused. “From sex?”

Shiro drops his head. Of course he had no idea what an STD is. “Humans get diseases from time to time.”

Lance’s eyes widen. “Do you…”

Shiro shakes his head. “No, no, no.”

Lance shrugs and started moving. “Then no worries.” He says and pushes Shiro down and that was that. Shiro thinks distantly before getting lost in the overwhelming heat that he was going to have to apologize to Keith.

 

“You’re in the room of Galrak the conqueror. He sends out a dulling spell removing your best warrior. Shark the thief has to roll a 15 to reverse Theik’s disarming.” Pidge cackles and Keith starts angrily shouting. Hunk trying to calm them over him, Shiro is trying to encourage Lance to make the right choice.

“I roll to kill Galrak.” Lance says tossing the die.

They hold their breath watching the dice roll. 20. For the fourth time in a row since the game started.  Hunk groans. Keith stabs the table and Pidge throws up their hands.

“Fuuu—” they scream stomping out of the room. “I can’t take this anymore.”

“How can you even do that?!” Keith demands.

Lance shrugs.

“It doesn’t make any logical sense. No one man can only get ones and twenties when rolling dice.” Hunk wails.

Keith starts desperately rolling the dice. Trying to see if it was loaded or something. Lance looks to Shiro in the chaos.

“What happened?”

Shiro places his head in his hands. “Lance you only have quick fifteen minute games or you drag out our games over literal weeks. You might have finally broken our DM.”

“Is this like a superstition thing?” Keith asks on the edge of hysteria. Lance looks around avoiding eye contact.

“Maybe.”

There was silence. Pidge comes out from the back room to poke a finger nearly up Lance’s nose.

“Explain yourself.”

“I was born on the best day, in the best year, in the best month, on the wrong moon, at the wrong time of day, with the wrong tide.”

“That doesn’t make any _sense_ ,” Pidge cries. The entire room breaks down into chaos again and Keith chucks the dice at the wall in his frustration.

Shiro leans over and whispers into his ear, “Maybe you should stop playing D&D with us.”

Lance shrugs again. “Alright.”

 

Shiro never gets used to watching Lance disappear. Even after months of being together. The ocean slowly encompassing his form until there’s nothing but the spray of crashing waters. It’s horrifying.

 

Lance lazily undoes Shiro’s fly.

“Are we even going to—” Shiro asks.

“Nope.” Lance says sliding Shiros pants and underwear down. “I don’t care much for this one.”

“It’s a classic—”Shiro grunts hands immediately finding Lance’s hair. Lance smirks around the other man’s cock endulging in the salty flavor.

“I mean there is an explosion at the end,” Shiro tries again. He’s breathless and Lance likes the high color of his cheeks. But… He pops off making sure to smack his lips. Shiro looks away. He grins.

“I’ll blow you,” he licks. “Fuck you.” Rubs his thumb over the slit. “And kiss you before we even reach the climax.”

Shiro covers his face.

“ _Jaws_ wasn’t that great anyway,” he mutters catching on a gasp when Lance gets his mouth around him again. _Jaws_ …blow jobs. There’s a joke there somewhere.


	5. An Unexpected Visit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plot moves along.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, guys these are gonna be coming far and few between. I'm a bit mixed up in a couple of different novellas at the moment.

Lance popped out of the ocean with one goal in mind. Sex on the beach. Six months of being told, _no lance, that’s a lot of sand Lance, we can’t Lance,_ Lance was ready for this. He had gotten Shiro to fuck him in a movie theater.  It was time. Shiro wasn’t prepared to be tackled and  shoved down.

“Sex now.” Lance said.

Shiro flushed and covered his face. “But…”

Lance was tugging down Shiro’s pants and underwear. Shiro looked down at him and his face softened behind his red cheeks. “Okay.”

Lance grinned and started tugging at Shiro’s cock. “We’re gonna be quick right?”

Shiro was fully hard in moments Lance flipped a leg over to straddle him. “Yes!”

The rest of the conversation was lost in a long series of grunts and muffled groans.

 

Shiro and Lance munched on cereal at the kitchen counter. Lance was reading Game of Thrones, convinced it was giving him a better understanding of human culture. Shiro wanted to call him out but... tonight there were more important matters to attend to.

"So, Lance."

"Mhmm." He didn't look up. Shiro didn't watch or read the series so he couldn't even ponder what was happening on page.

"How long are you going to keep dying?" _I'm tired of watching you die. I want to wake up one morning with you happy and sleep warm in my arms. Please tell me this isn't going to be our universal constant,_ He couldn't bring himself to say. Lance didn't really understand that. He said sharks had three modes; that's mine, that's not mine, that's enemy. Shiro was fairly certain Lance wouldn't empathize.

Lance froze bodily. He ducked his head and looked sheepish. Maybe he was being dramatic about the modes. "About that," Lance started then didn't continue.

 Shiro waited and waited and-- "Please finish."

Lance hid his face. "I'm so sorry. You explained what condoms were and I blatantly told you not to use and I didn't tell you why and thats bad. We've had the conversation on being open in a relationship and I haven't been open and that's bad and, and...."

"Breathe, babe, just explain what's wrong."

"Ineedtogetpregnanttostopdying."

Shiro opened his mouth running the words over his head. "I got none of that. Once more?"

Lance took a deep breath opened his mouth and a door knock startled them. "You should get that," Lance said with a jerky gesture towards the door.

"O-Kay. But you're not out of this. I know you're hiding something." Shiro promised getting up.

It was Pidge and Mrs. Gunderson. "Shiro we got to go, they found Matt."

 

Lance watched Shiro apologize and then run out the door. Lances spoon doesn't make it to the bowl before he's left alone and the topic of his convoluted deal with a seawitch is forgotten. He stares at the door. What.

Lance grabs Shiro's abandoned phone and starts calling Kieth.

"Shiro I was ten seconds from eating dick, what do you want?"

"You are much too upfront about your sexlife."  Lance snaps.

"Says the man who likes to fuck in Dennys."

"Yes but we were drunk."

Keith is silent for a moment. "What do you want?"

"Pidge showed up said something and Shiro left without saying goodbye."

There's some shuffling and whispering.

"Hunks heading over, I'm gonna call Pidge okay?" There's genuine concern lacing Keith's voice.

Lance felt empty. "Yeah."

 

Hunk shows up and immediately hugs. Lance. The day can't get more confusing. He had sex on the beach three hours ago. What happened.

"Why are you hugging me?"

Hunk leans back and makes his im-not-lying face. "What I can't hug my friend?"

"What's going on?" Lance says a nervous flutter building in him.

Kieth bursts through the door. "Have you told him yet? We need to go to the hospital like now."

"What?"

Hunk shifts foot to foot. "Shiro's best friend-"

"Possible boyfriend."

"Was found on a scouting mission three days ago. He's just been moved into the local hospital his status in the military is pretty similar to Shiro's at the moment."

"What." Lance was pretty sure the sudden lack of feeling was dread. Being mostly human had fucked with somethings now Lance had trouble defining emotions.

Keith grabbed his arm and dragged him away. "No time for that we need to go now."

"Okay." Numb. That's what it was.

 

The hospital was relatively small and he was being rushed through the corridors feeling like he was in a maze. In an eternity he was in the waiting room, Shiro and Pidge there too. And an older woman Lance has yet to meet.

"I didn't expect you guys to come," Shiro said. He was bouncing his leg impatiently.

Keith flipped him off and found a chair Hunk coming up to sit next to him. Lance stayed where he was for the first time not feeling welcomed by Shiro's side. He eventually sat down next to him and there was nothing but silence and his own thoughts...for five hours.

 

A doctor called them in allowing them to crowd in the small hospital room. Lance and Hunk hung around the outside. Pidge's older more masculine twin lay in the bed. Shiro was the first to envelope him in a hug.

"I looked..."

Pidges twin strokes Shiro's hair. "I know." He cupped Shiro's cheek. "I'm just so glad to see you're alive." They touched foreheads and Lance slowly backed out of the room. He wasn't welcome there. Hunk slipped out next to him. They looked at each other.

"Are they?" Lance asked unable to finish the sentence.

"I think they were?" Hunk said with a shrug they started walking away. "At least that's what Keith told me."

"Can we go to the beach?" Lance asked.

Hunk looked at him and Lance pretended not to think.

"I don't think Shiro would..."

"Im not that important here anyway," Lance said icily. It wasn't like Hunk could pick up on the double meaning. "I'm gonna head to the beach alone or with a ride."

Hunk held up his hands. "Okay. Let me just go tell Keith."

 

The drive was uncomfortable. Hunk was making it worst.

"Are you sure you want to leave buddy?"

"Yes."

"And to the beach."

Lance pinched his nose.

"I'm a mermaid and have to be in the ocean by sun up or I die."

Hunks brows furrowed. "Now is not the time for jokes."

Lance cursed and nearly melted with relief when he saw the edge of the ocean. The sky was lightening and he was pushing it on time.

The car stopped and Hunk turned off the engine. Lance started to scramble out. Hunk stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"He's not going to leave you. You know that right?"

Lance smiled. "I'm a passing fancy." Was all he said before breaking Hunks grip to run to their cave.

It felt like an eternity before he reached the inside his feet moving from rough rock to soft sand. He blinked his eyes adjusting to the brightness....

Lance stared at the sun for the first time in six months as it crested the ocean.

"Fuck."


	6. Oh dear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear next chapter will suck less, and be on time. With more words. Promise.

The water was bright and so was the sun. Lance glared at it sitting as far back in the cavern as possible. Pregnant. He was pregnant. Just like he planned. Except. Here was the important part, Shiro’s ex-…ex-…ex-emotional baggage showed up and it was like Lance a _fucking_ mermaid didn’t exist. He puts his head on his knees squeezing his eyes shut from the bright rays. He’s stuck here. Alone. And apparently filled with multiplying cells. No one’s coming for him. Shiro surely won’t notice his absence.

            A light splashing from the shore brings him away from his thoughts. Allura stares at him, white hair spiraling around her.

            “Good Morning.” He greets.

            Allura comes fully out of the water. “Congratulations.”

            “Sure.”

            “Not-so-congratulations then.” Allura swims closer. “Want to talk about it?”

            “His S.O. showed up last night.”

            Allura squints at him. Lance no longer speaks her language. Six months of only human interactions had deprived him of that.

            “Significant other.” He clarifies.

            “Ah, sorry.” They were quiet and Lance could feel Allura’s concern penetrate his sullenness.

            “What?”

            “I promise good news but…”

            “But?”

            “The Selkies know you’re on land and mother is,” she looks away, “she’s looking for you. Underwater. Thankfully.”

            Lance feels cold. “Good news?” his voice cracks.

            “I can let you swim for a few hours if you’d like.”

            Lance sighs in relief. “I would love that.”

 

            Shiro got pulls away reluctantly from Matt’s sleeping body by an anxious Hunk. When they are outside Shiro startles at the sunset streaming through the windows.

            “Where’s Lance?” He asks barely stopping himself from shaking Hunk. Dread sets low in his stomach filling his mouth with a sour taste.

            “That’s what I wanted to talk to you about!” Hunk shouts. “I dropped him off at the beach and then waited ten minutes after he went into your little cave you don’t think we know about to follow him and he was gone! Keith’s waiting for him right now.”

            “What time did you drop him off?”

            “No,” Hunk says his voice baring no argument. “You pretty much ignored his existence without even explaining who Matt is since you got the news. Of course the guy is gonna want some alone time.”

            “He doesn’t think…?”

            Hunk balls up his fist and raises it uncharacteristically before dropping it to his side. “We _all_ think that you are together.”

            “Oh.”

            “Fuck you.”

            Shiro gapes.

            Hunk crosses his arms shoulders pulled to his ears. “I like Lance. He’s talks like an alien and is enthusiastic about everything and if you ruin your relationship with him, I feel like I will never see him again and that’s no bueno.”

            Shiro rubs his face. He needs to explain Matt to Lance as soon as possible but he wasn’t even sure if he was alive. His hand froze and the world slowly tilts until it was floating upside down. Lance might not be alive. Lance _is_ dead. He’s…

            “We need to get to the cave right now.” Shiro mutters. He doesn’t even know why he was here. He needs to make sure.

            “What?”

            “Right. Now.”

 

            Keith has his back to a rock sitting in the sex cave, he knows they’ve fucked there, they’ve fucked everywhere. He flips through his phone reading through the Hitchhikers Guide for the umpteenth time. Robots continue to understand him more than his own boyfriend. Making him sit in a cave. Waiting for an alien. That’s the only explanation for Lance. Lance who didn’t even know who Santa was. He has to be an alien. Keith just needs the proof.

            Splashing distracts him from his thoughts. He turns to look at the shoreline. Lance’s head pops up and he slowly comes closer and…that’s a tail. Not an alien. Keith takes out his phone. _Subject is not an alien and is in fact a mermaid._

            Lance shakes off the water and his tail sloughs off into the water and he steps out looking at his legs bending them at the knee. He walks over to the wall and reaches into a hole and picks up his clothes shaking them out. Keith jaw drops. He needs to…He needs to…Lance walks right by him fully clothed and out of the cave…Keith gets up after a few breaths and follows him, making the odd decision to keep this a secret. He might…actually…like Lance and telling their friends about his…condition would be rude. Anonymously on the internet though… Keith walked out and rounded back the long way to his bike. Make it seem like he came later than necessary.

 

            Lance headed towards Shiro’s house arms crossed and shivering. He never thought he’d feel so cold here. Now that he was stuck here for the future. With the Selkies looking for him along with his mother’s wrath. At least he had…pants. He grumbles brow furrowing and walks faster. That’s right it’s just him, zygote, and the clothes on his back. Awesome. He felt a sting behind his eyes. He blinked several times before settling it on a glare.

            This was Shiro’s fault. He ruins—

            Warm arms wrap around him and his feet are left dangling in the air as he was lifted.

            “Oh, Thank God.” Shiro sighs in his ear.

            Lance tenses. “What?”

            Shiro brings Lance down so he can cup his face. Lance sees his eyes shining before he blinks placing their foreheads together. “I was so scared.”

            Lance relaxes and hugs him back unsure how to respond. “I-“Shiro stops and Lance waits but is pulled into an even larger hug from behind.

            “I’m so glad you’re here instead of hitchhiking to the Midwest,” Hunk says squeezing Shiro and Lance together.

            Lance looks up at Hunk then back at Shiro, he opens and closes his mouth. “I need a shot of vodka and a warm bed.” Lance finally says pushing away from them. “Where’s your car?”

            Shiro points up the hill and Lance goes unwilling to talk more. Shiro follows after him silent. Lance doesn’t catch Keith stopping Shiro.

            “We need to talk.” Keith starts.

            “Not now,” Shiro whispers back. “I got…” he gestures vaguely at Lance pulling himself into the Jeep. “stuff to do.”

            Keith shifts his weight. “It’s about that stuff, Shiro.” Hunk comes around and grabs Keith by his scruff.

            “The ‘stuff’ can wait until tomorrow,” he tells them wisely. Keith rolls his eyes but allows himself to be dragged away.

            “I’m not dropping it Shiro.”

            “I’ll be waiting Keith,” Shiro answers rolling the words with more sarcasm than the situation required. He was frustrated, so sue him.

 

            Shiro parks the car in front of his house. He hasn’t slept in over a day and Lance isn’t looking at him nor talking to him. He feels exhausted and rubs his face and rolls his shoulders. He gets out of the car and walks into the house in a daze knowing that Lance is right on his heels. There’s a sense of relief when they are in the comfortable opened space home and the door is locked behind them. Shiro finds that he can finally apologize and maybe explain some things then sleep. Then apologize for sleeping during their time together. Maybe if he gives Lance enough strawberry ice cream he won’t be absolutely furious with him. He rubs his temples. He’s tired. He’s got a headache. He needs to do this because Lance deserves an apology.

Shiro turns to get the words out. He stops mouth open when he sees Lance hiding his face shoulders shaking.

            “Lance?”

            He shakes his head; a small sob escapes his lips. Shiro pulls Lance into a hug.

            “Babe, I’m so sorry. This is all my fault, I just got so wrapped up and…” Shiro squeezes Lance into him unsure how to phrase it. He feels hot tears against his neck and stares over Lance’s head struggling for words.

            Silence. “Sorry.”

            Shiro startles back. “What?”

            Lance is shaking and rubbing at his eyes. “Remember how,” he looks up and Shiro watches him choke on tears, “the first time we…” Lance stuck his index finger through his fist. Shiro blushed and nodded waiting for him to continue. “You talked about contraception and I said it wasn’t necessary we were two different species.”

            Shiro continued nodding. Lance opened his mouth and looked up at him eyes red and nose dripping. “I lied. I knew what we were doing and what the consequences would be.”

            Shiro places his hands on Lance’s shoulders. “I’m not mad but why did you have to lie?”

            “My sister needs a placenta.”

             “Gross.”

            Lance rolled his eyes shrugging off Shiro’s hands. “So, I don’t have to give her my days anymore, there’s hefty magic in motherhood and all things deemed connected to it.”

            “Oh.”

            “Yeah.”

            Shiro felt the cogs slowly turn in his head. “Why are you telling me now?”

            Lance grabs Shiro’s hand and places it on his abdomen. Shiro remembers reaching the right conclusion, but not much after that.


	7. Being Human

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance doesn't...feel things...right.

Lance doesn’t react in time to stop Shiro’s body from hitting the ground. He only falls right on top of him still gripping Shiro’s hand. Lance groans pushing himself onto his elbows bracketing Shiro’s head. He sits back and straddles Shiro’s waist. Sven pads from the backroom following the noise. He whines and Lance almost feels bad for forgetting about over the last day. Sven comes up and nudges Shiro’s face. Lance shoos him away.

            “I should have waited,” Lance mutters lightly slapping Shiro’s cheek. “I should have waited until _after_ you broke up with me. It would have been the best ‘fuck you.’ Just think…” Lance had. A baby is a stronger connection than just a secret. That’ll keep Shiro tied to him. No need for all that human identification forms. Just them. Lance cradles Shiro’s face tracing a thumb across his strong jaw and high cheek bones. He rubs at the scar and pushes back Shiro’s white fluff of hair. Just _them._ He could sleep with Shiro clinging to him. He could go flying. They could go on one of those mechanical contraptions with the loops. There was so much to do together. So much. _Everything._

            Shiro’s eyes flutter and Lance holds his breath. They open and take him in. Shiro smiles, eyes slightly tinged with stress. Lance wants to kiss him.

            “You didn’t take that very well,” he says instead.

            “How far along are you?” Shiro asks reaching up to cup Lance’s cheek.

            Lance taps his nose. “Twenty-four hours.” Shiro’s brow scrunches up. “I saw the sunrise this morning. It was…depressing.”

            “I’m sorry.”

            Lance lays himself down on top of Shiro. “What for? You’re long lost lover comes home. You stay by their bedside reminiscing. It’s honestly really sweet.”

            “He’s not my boyfriend. He won’t be my boyfriend. He’s not even into relationships. Or sex. He’s just my closest friend.” Shiro whispers to him stroking his hair.

            “That’s hard to believe.” Lance whispers back.

            “Swear.”

            “Really?”

            “I swear on my Friends DVD collection.”

            This was serious. Shiro fucking loved that show and the ridiculously large set of DVDs’ he held on the top of the entertainment system. Lance finally relaxed.

            “I hate Ross.”

            “That’s alright. I was more of a Chandler man myself.”

            Lance kissed his jaw. “I know.”

            “We should get off the floor.”

            “I know.”

            Lance listened to Shiro’s heartbeat the nervous tension still tingling at the base of his skull telling him that there was something wrong. Maybe Shiro was just trying to hide his feelings for Male Twin Pidge. Maybe… Shiro’s breathing evened out. Lance lifted up to look at him. He was dead asleep mouth slack and face relaxed. Lance snorted and stood up then crouched down to pick Shiro up. He almost toppled over. It was surprisingly difficult. His muscles couldn’t have atrophied _that_ much. For the first time in months Lance’s baser instincts overwhelmed his senses. _Must work out. Must be strong. Protect what is **mine.**_

He shook the thoughts away weariness out weighing the need. He laid Shiro down and crawled in next to him curling up under his chin. Preparation for future fights are for later. When he’s not so…tired.

           

            “Keith,” Hunk whines from bed. Keith doesn’t hear him. He’s too busy reading the response from user _PRincEofURuniverSE_. He seemed to know _a lot_ about mermaids. Pretty much everything he’s sent during their small chat has been spot on for what Keith has noticed from Lance. The weird taste for raw fish. A loathing of dry air. Never seen in daylight. Somethings Keith can’t confirm because it was impossible to get close to the subject considering he was always draped over Shiro but…

            “Babe,” Hunk whines again. Keith finally takes notice turning towards their small full-sized bed. Hunk is making grabby hands at him. “Come to bed.”

            Keith flushes. Hunk isn’t usually so forwards. “Sleep?”

            Hunks eyes are dark and he opens and closes his hands again. “Later.”

            Oooo. Keith gets up leaving _PRincEofURuniverSE_ and the other conspirators. He has better things to do. He misses the chat window pop up.

            _SErveS_the_PRincE: You live on the west coast, right?_

 

            Shiro wakes from a dead sleep with a heavy pressure on his chest. His mouth tastes awful, he feels greasy and is wearing clothes from two days ago. He almost doesn’t notice the sunlight so wrapped up in how gross he feels. It’s clearly late morning. He blinks away sleep looking at the light streaming through the window. There’s something important about that. _Lance._ He starts to roll out of bed to search for him but is pulled back by the arms wrapped around his chest. Lance snortles and nuzzles into his chest. Shiro falls back on the bed. Lance is okay. He’s here warm and breathing against Shiro. Shiro grips his head fingers sliding through Lance’s thick hair. _Safe_. It’s okay. Shiro almost drifts back to sleep. The feeling of sleep heavy Lance on top of him and was pushing back all his other grievances about the situation. _Pregnant._ Right. Fatherhood. That’s…months and months away. Like almost a year away. Shiro gives up on sleep after that choosing instead to watch Lance sleep. He had drool on his chin and slept with his mouth wide making small noises every once and awhile. It was horrible. Contorted his pretty face into something less than stellar. Shiro loves it.

            Lance slowly blinks awake and Shiro’s breathe catches. Lance smiles all teeth. It’s blinding, the light lighting up his blue eyes in new and wonderful ways.

            “Good morning Shiro.”

            Shiro responds with his own smile. “Good morning.”

           

            Shiro watches Keith curiously. He hasn’t seen him this bedraggled and sleepless since Mothman became a thing. He genuinely wonders what’s got him so tied up this time. It’s been a week since Matt came back. They’d been pretty busy between hospital visits and Lance. Lance. Lance. Shiro smiles into his coffee cup. Yesterday they went on a picnic date at the park in bright shiny daylight. It was wonderful.

            Keith rubs a hand over his face. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this but…” Shiro waits patiently. Keith breathes out. “Lance is a mermaid.”

            “Yeah, how’d you find out?” Shiro asks still waiting for the reveal.

            “You knew.”

            “Yes. We even had a lengthy discussion about it before he got legs.”

            Keith’s jaw drops. The waiter comes by and delivers their food. Keith still stares at Shiro. Shiro ignores him and starts digging in to his egg white omelet. He barely makes it a bite before Keith flicks a blueberry at him. It bounces off his shoulder.

            “What?” Shiro asks.

            “You fuck! Why didn’t you tell me? I live for this shit. I could have been the urban legends god for fucks sake.” Keith whisper shouts.

            “Because I knew you’d react like this. How’d you even find out?” Shiro pushes his plate away no longer hungry.

            Keith rolls his eyes. “I saw him coming out of the ocean the day Matt came back.”

            Lance never said anything about that. In fact Lance had been very quiet about the whole mermaid hierarchy.

            “Did he come out of foam?”

            Keith looked at him like he was crazy. “No he had a tail that looked like a…”

            “Sharks. It looks like a shark’s. Lance is very proud of that. Talks about his conquests and the wars he fought in.”

            Keith looks startled. Shiro nods and stands from the table. “I need to go.”

            “I feel like there’s more you’re not telling me,” Keith says stopping him.

            Shiro walks around him. “I won’t because you’ll just tell your creepy internet friends about it.”

            Keith scoffs but lets him go because Shiro’s right as usual.

           

            Lance is sitting on the floor next to the window wrapped in sunlight legs crossed and placed against the glass. Sven is lying along slide him head resting against his collar bone. He’s eating Doritos from a bowl off his stomach and watching videos on sharks off of Shiro’s tablet.

            “You guys are really obsessed with this shit. Are you sure you didn’t want to fuck a fish?” Is what he greets Shiro with. Shiro freezes.

            “I would have eventually broken and had sex with _you_ but not with a fish,” he answers. Lance looks up at him upside down and grins. There’s cheese dust on his chin.

            “Awww, babe.”

            Shiro walks over and bends down to kiss his forehead. “You’re ridiculous.”

            “Hunk told me that I’m an alien.” Lance says focus returning to the tablet. Shiro pulls it from his grasp and turns it off.

            “Not an alien a mermaid. A mermaid who’s been very secretive.”

            Lance looks back curiously big blue eyes wide and falsely innocent. “What do you want to know?”

            “Keith knows that you’re a mermaid.” Shiro starts. Lance shoots up, Sven’s head falling lazily onto the ground where it stays. Lance looks scared.

            “How?”

            “He saw you swimming out of the ocean after Matt came back. After you were supposedly pregnant.” Shiro says standing back up.

            “Shit. He hasn’t told anyone has he?” Lance asks fear making his voice slightly hysterical.

            “Only people on his conspiracy forums.”

            Lance grasps Shiro’s shirt his eyes wide. “Do they know where he lives?”

            “No.” Shiro says slowly holding onto Lance’s hands. “Why is this important?”

            Lance pulls back and begins tugging at his hair. “The day Matt showed up and I got pregnant, my sister showed up with some news.” He takes a deep breath. “Keith probably caught me coming out of the ocean to give mother some red herrings about my whereabouts as a gift from my sister on a happy conception. But the Selkies know…they’re closer to magic…and they know I’m on land.” Shiro’s cold and a numbing sensation overwhelms him when Lance looks back with watery eyes. “They want to find me as leverage for my mother’s territory, Shiro. Your brother just gave them a big fucking clue as to where I am.”

            Shiro swallows that. “You didn’t think to tell me this _before_ Keith found out!”

            “It wasn’t important.”

            Shiro stands up and starts pacing. “Not important? Just like it wasn’t important to tell me about needing to get pregnant. Just like it wasn’t important to tell me about fucking dying. Not important. Nothing is important until it blows up in _your_ face and _I_ have to deal with it.”

            “Shiro?”

            Shiro was shaking. He opens the door. “I’m going out.” He starts running off the excess anger. He doesn’t even notice Sven tagging along at his heels.

 

            Lance stares at Shiro’s retreating back. He doesn’t tell Shiro things because they aren’t important. They _aren’t._ Shiro’s important. Being human’s important. The freedom of walking around and being able to choose who he is and what he’s allowed to wear and say. That’s important. The Selkies. The Matriarchy. They aren’t. Just... not for the first time Lance misses the sea. The simplicity. Fight, Kill, Eat, Breed. That’s it. That’s mine; the queendom. That’s not mine; everything else. That’s bad; those trying to take the queendom. Now it’s more. That’s mine; Shiro and co. That’s not mine; somethings? It’s hard. There’s barrowing. Whatever that is. That’s bad; certain behaviors? Fucking in public places. Punching people. Eating other people’s food…The list continues on.

            It was easier when he wasn’t thinking about it. It _wasn’t_ important. It was a side detail. He’s _always_ being hunted by Selkies. That was his life. He’s always thinking about the now instead of the then and the future. Lance curls in on himself holding his legs to his chest. He shivers at the breeze coming through the door. It’s not important. Until it is.

           

            Hunk’s making dinner. The smell wafting over from the kitchen. Keith is staring at Shiro over his cup.

            “You’re telling me that I should stop posting about the _actual cryptid_ that you found because it might bring people over who want to kidnap and kill Lance.” Keith states slowly. Shiro doesn’t look at him. He’s still angry. He ran the five miles to Keith’s and Hunk’s place then worked out in Keith’s little set up in their garage for hours and all he got was sweaty and angrier. He’s given Lance everything he’s asked for and Lance kept everything he had from him. His fingers clench around Sven’s collar.

            “Yeah.”

            “Cause Lance is a prince.”

            “Yes.”

            “He’s pregnant with your kid so he can stay on land and that complicates the undersea war because as stated previously he’s a prince.”

            “Yes.”

            Keith drinks his cup of tea. “How do you even know it’s your kid?”

            Shiro glares at him. “He gave his days up to be able to live with me and died every night for the last six months.”

            “Sure.”

            Shiro shoves himself back in his chair. “Remember my last MIA?”

            “Yeah.”

            “I went catatonic after watching Lance get swallowed up by the ocean. I was in our cave for an entire day certain that he was dead. Until he wasn’t.”

            It finally sinks in. Keith eyes widen in horror. “I might have led Selkies here.”

            “You might not have.”

            Keith fidgets. “I’ll stop talking about it.”

            “Guess we’ll have to hope for the best.”

            Keith stares at the table. “Fuck.”

            “That sounds about right.”

            They’re silent the only sound is Hunks singing from the kitchen.

            “Why,” Keith starts, “why didn’t he tell you this before hand?”

            “It wasn’t important.”

            “Sounds pretty important to me.”

            Shiro put his head in his hands and lowers it to the tables surface. “I know. He told me early on that he only cares about three things. “That’s mine, that’s not mine, that’s enemy” if the enemy isn’t right there I don’t think he cares. Planning ahead is something he’ll never be able to do.”

            Keith shudders. “That’s what I have Hunk for.”

            “What’s up?” Hunk says popping his head from the kitchen. “Heard my name.”

            “Nothing,” Shiro and Keith say together. Shiro sighs. “I’ve got to get back to him.”

            “He’s pregnant.” Keith says when Shiro makes no move to get back to Lance.

            “Yes.”

            “He doesn’t look pregnant.”

            “He’s a week along.” Shiro answers.

            Kith squints at him. “You can’t tell you’re pregnant that early.”

            Shiro rolls his eyes. “When your pregnancy test is whether you die when the sun touches you or not it’s easy to tell.”

            Keith scoffs. “Fine, what about you baby daddy. Any plans?”

            Shiro pauses mouth open. “I better go try to make up with him first.”

            “Running away, won’t stop your mutant babies from coming,” Keith shouts after his back. Shiro keeps walking and barely even hears Hunk’s, “Mutant babies?”

 

            Shiro looks at the house with exhaustion. He really doesn’t want to do this. Sven beats him to the door and pulls a reluctant Shiro towards the house. Shiro makes it through the hallway before the smell hits him. He runs to the kitchen and finds Lance sobbing over burnt…it’s in a cupcake pan.

            “Honey?” he asks wandering through the disaster zone of a kitchen. Lance looks up and chokes on words.  “Breathe,” Shiro instructs and Lance lets out a gasp.

            “In the movies,” he says rubbing at his nose and smearing snot across his face, “when someone fucks up they make up by making food.” Lance bites his lips and the water works almost start again. “I don’t know how to cook. I don’t know how to hunt here.”

            Shiro wrenches Lance into a tight hug. “It’s okay. I get it. A simple ‘I’m sorry’ would’ve been fine.”

            Lance’s reply is muffled by Shiro’s T-Shirt. “What was that?” Shiro asks gently.

            “Last time you left without saying anything, Matt showed up and I didn’t know if I’d see you again.”

            “That happens.” Shiro scrambled to explain. He gets hyper focused. He can’t stop thinking. Or he does and can’t start up again. Hunk and Keith have had their fair share of finding Shiro and getting him started again like a rusty motor on a slowly sinking boat.

            “Okay.” Is all Lance says.

            “You’re not worried?”

            Lance wipes his face on Shiro’s shirt. “No.”

            “Okay. Thanks.”

            “What?”

            “Nothing, lets clean up.”

 

            Shiro shoots out of bed something chasing him, Sven is already up and on the bed lying on his lap a warm calming pressure. He curls around the greyhound waiting for the tremors to even out. He breathes in the scent of animal and calms. He hasn’t had one of these in a while, because usually there’s Lance. Who is not in bed. Shiro sweeps out of bed and is searching the house in moments.

            “Lance?”

            “Here.” The reply is a breathless grunt from the living room. Shiro follows it. Lance is sitting at the table staring dejectedly at a bowl of melted ice cream and…Hot sauce? Shiro is baffled. He wants to say it’s bad for the baby but he actually doesn’t know and makes a mental note to do some research. He’s about three months along and Shiro really doesn’t know.

            “What are you doing?”

             “Eating away my perfect body.” Lance picks up his spoon watching the ice cream drip morosely off of it.

            Shiro leans back and crosses his arms to cover his shaking hands. “You’re not even showing.”

            Lance looks up at him under his eye lashes. “I can’t pick you up anymore.”

            “You could pick me up?”

            Lance shoves the bowl away. “I’m a waste of space Shiro. I’m not strong.”

            “You work out literally every day. It’s all I see you do. Besides watch tellanovellas and whatever Hunk and Pidge have convinced you is good.”

            “It’s not working.” Lance says. “I… I finally feel like—”

            “Like what?” Shiro prompts. He edges closer now noticing the crumpled look in Lance’s eyes and the way his lips quiver.

            “Think I can get a job? Be useful?”

            Shiro knows he’s avoiding the subject and decides to leave it be. “Sure, I can get you a job at the coffee shop me and the Holt’s run.”

            Lance nods. “That would be nice.”

            Shiro observes him for a few moments longer as he plays with the ice cream. He reaches over to pull the bowl and spoon away, depositing it in the sink for tomorrow. Lance watches him and doesn’t even blink when Shiro positions him so that he can pick the smaller man up.

            “No problem right?” Shiro asks. Lance doesn’t answer and just hides his face in Shiro’s shoulder.

 

            “ _Holy ballistics baseline geometry what the fuck is that!_ ”

            Mrs. Holt gives Shiro a dry look from over her glasses. He smiles pleasantly at her then the customer in front of him. She melts a little. Shiro wouldn’t have noticed either way.

            “Excuse me. Elaine, please?”

            “Of course.” She says stealing the moisture from the room. “How can I help you dear?” She asks the customer much more pleasantly. Shiro nods his thanks then makes his way to back of house.

            “I’m gonna eat your fucking fingers Pidge. I swear to the Goddess.” Lance hisses. The door wobbles open and two sets of eyes turn on him one furious, one scared. Then Shiro notices the teeth. He almost brains himself on the door trying to get back.

            “Put those away,” he tells Lance. He hadn’t seen them in…months. Nearly a year.

            Lance stomps his foot. “They keep calling me fat and stupid.”

            Shiro pinches the bridge of his nose. “Pidge we’ve talked about the sarcasm thing…” he groans.

            They scoff and cross their arms. “You didn’t tell me Lance was a vampire so I could win the bet.”

            Both Lance and Shiro roll their eyes. Lance’s teeth thankfully retreat. Shiro needs to ask about that.

            “Where’d those come from?”

            “I don’t know. My body’s weird. Always.” Lance throws the rag in his hand at the ground.

            Shiro reaches over and gently pulls him into a hug. “From the research, I’ve done that’s kind of normal.”

            Lance relaxes into him. “They were being mean.”  
            “They don’t actually think you’re stupid and fat.”

            “He’s gain some wait, actually.”

            Lance turns to hiss at them. Shiro looks heavenwards.

            “Pidge, you don’t call pregnant people fat.”

            The room’s dead silent. Shiro watches Pidge’s hands tense into claws and their shoulders slowly reach their ears like a ticking time bomb.

            “Goddammit Shiro, you motherfucker!” They explode. “How many secrets have you been keeping from us!!” They stuff a finger right under his nose. “First Lance is a vampire, then that he’s pregnant. What else is there? Were you actually dating Matt? Are you just dating Lance because of his mind control?”

            Lance pushes their finger away. “I’m a merman and Shiro said it wasn’t polite to tell people until the second trimester. You’re still a fucking bitch.”

            Pidge jerks back like they’ve been shot. Lance pushes away from Shiro and pulls off his apron. “I’m going for a walk.” He leaves through the back door, Shiro watches in agony.

            “Pidge,” he groans dropping to squat and put his head in his hands. A cool hand rubs his back.

            “You guys okay?”

            “No.” Shiro muttered. “he’s been weird since the Matt thing. Then we were okay. And then he got even weirder since the pregnant thing started to become…Real?”

            Pidge sat down next to him. “That bites. Has he told you what’s wrong?”

            “No.”

            “Have you asked?”

            Shiro scrubs his face. “I’ve tried. I’ll try again I suppose.”

            Pidge pulls Shiro into an awkward sideways hug. “I think you guys will work it out.”

            “I hope so.”

           

            Shiro waits until long after the store closes for Lance. He never comes. Shiro knows where he is. He just had hoped… He sighed and starts his journey. Lance doesn’t acknowledge his entrance into the cave. Shiro shuffles up to sit next to him. Shiro leans onto Lance and places his head on Lances shoulder.

            “I’ll always come to you.” Shiro says. “I know there are a lot of things bothering you and that you don’t want to talk about but…” he sighs. “I’ll wait and then find you.”

            “I miss the simplicity.” Lance says after a silence so long Shiro’s about ready to leave. He lifts his head up to visibly catch Lance swallowing. “I want to go back to that instinct.”

            “Why did you leave?” Shiro knows. Lance told him the second time he met.

            “So the Matriarchy wouldn’t take my freedom.”

            “What’s complicated now?”

            Lance breaths come in shakily. “Emotions. Society. People.”

            “Humans function just like shark,” Shiro says wrapping an arm around Lance. “There’s just more stuff.”

            Lance looks at him incredulously.

            “What’s yours?” Shiro starts.

            “You.” Shiro nods. “Baby, Hunk, to a lesser extent Keith, the job, all the ice cream in your house.”

            “What’s not yours?”

            “Everything else.”

            “What’s enemy?”

            “The government, Pidge but they’re a lesser fish, people, that old lady who keeps grabbing my ass, Selkies…”

            “Exactly. Life a little easier.”

            “A little.”

            “Good lets go home.”

            “Okay.”


End file.
